Reducing power consumption among multiple user devices

ABSTRACT

Examples described herein include systems and methods for reducing power consumption among multiple user devices that are communicatively coupled to a management server. The management server can receive an indication that a first user device (a laptop computer, for example) is in an active state and that a first application (an email application or a web browser, for example), is executing at the laptop computer. The management server determines that a second user device (a smartphone, for example) is associated with the same user and further determines that a second application is installed on the smartphone. The management server can determine that the smartphone is in an inactive state or that the second application is currently not executing on the smartphone. The management server sends an instruction to the smartphone to turn off at least one functionality so as to reduce power consumption.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

Benefit is claimed under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d) to Foreign ApplicationSerial No. 201941002912 filed in India entitled “REDUCING POWERCONSUMPTION AMONG MULTIPLE USER DEVICES”, on Jan. 24, 2019, by VMWARE,INC., which is herein incorporated in its entirety by reference for allpurposes.

BACKGROUND

Many corporations use a networked system of computing platforms toperform various activities such as providing communications betweenemployees and exchanging various types of information and data. Thecomputing platforms can include various user devices such as a desktopcomputer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, and a smartphone. Inmany cases, an employee may utilize two or more user devices to executevarious tasks. For example, the employee may use a smartphone to accessan email server and check for emails while on his/her way to work. Uponreaching the workplace, the employee may power up his/her desktopcomputer and use the desktop computer to check for emails, as well as toexecute other tasks. Typically, the employee sets aside the smartphonewithout powering down the device. In this condition, the smartphonecontinues to access the email server, thereby redundantly executingseveral email related activities that are being carried out by thedesktop computer at this time. Such redundant activities lead to anunnecessary drain on the battery in the smartphone.

As another example, an employee uses a word processing program on alaptop computer to generate a document while on his/her way to work.Upon reaching the workplace, the employee transfers the document tohis/her desktop computer that is connected to the laptop computer via acorporate network, and continues to work upon the document. Often atthis time, the laptop computer is left unattended, thereby leading to anunnecessary drain on the battery in the laptop computer or on powerprovided via a mains power outlet to the laptop computer.

Consequently, a need exists for providing systems and methods thatreduce power consumption in user devices that are in an inactive stateor are operating in a redundant manner.

SUMMARY

Examples described herein include systems and methods for reducing powerconsumption among a set of user devices used by a user. An examplemethod includes receiving, at a management server, an indication that afirst user device is in an active state and that a first application isexecuting at the first user device. The first user device can be, forexample, a laptop computer, and the first application can be an emailapplication such as Microsoft Outlook® or Gmail®. The management servercan be a corporate server computer that is accessible by a number ofclient devices such as the laptop computer. Upon receiving theindication from the first user device that the first user device is inan active state and that the first application is executing at the firstuser device, the management server determines that a second user deviceis associated with the same user. The determination can be made by usinga registry (or other information source) containing information ofvarious user devices that are associated with the user. In one exemplaryimplementation, the registry includes information of various userdevices that have been issued by a company to various employees,including the first user device and the second user device issued to theuser.

After determining that the second user device is associated with theuser, the management server determines that a second application isinstalled on the second user device. The second user device can be asmartphone for example, and the second application can be an emailapplication configured to execute on the smartphone. The method furtherincludes the management server determining that the second user deviceis in an inactive state or that the second application is currently notexecuting on the second user device. For example, the smartphone may bein an airplane mode of operation or the user has not opened an emailapplication in the smartphone. The management server then sends aninstruction to the second user device to turn off at least onefunctionality associated with the second user device or the secondapplication. Accordingly, for example, the smartphone can beautomatically placed in a power down mode or turned off, so as toconserve battery power.

The example method summarized above can be incorporated into anon-transitory, computer-readable medium having instructions that, whenexecuted by a processor associated with a computing device, cause theprocessor to perform the actions described. Additionally, the examplemethod summarized above can be implemented in a system including, forexample, a management server, a first user device, and a second userdevice that are communicatively coupled to each other through a network.

Both the foregoing general description and the following detaileddescription are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictiveof the examples, as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustration of an example system configured to carry outexemplary methods disclosed herein.

FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram of an example method for reducing powerconsumption among multiple devices.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an example method for reducing powerconsumption among multiple devices.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of an example graphical user interface (“GUI”)displayed on a user device.

FIG. 5 is an illustration of another example GUI displayed on a userdevice.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXAMPLES

Reference will now be made in detail to the present examples, includingexamples illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible,the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to referto the same or like parts. Certain words that are used in thisdisclosure can have various equivalencies and are not intended to belimiting or exclusionary. For example, words such as “information” and“data” can be used interchangeably to convey the same meaning in thecontext of the matter described in this disclosure.

Examples described herein include systems and methods for reducing powerconsumption among multiple user devices that are communicatively coupledto a management server. The management server can receive an indicationthat a first user device (a laptop computer, for example) is in anactive state and that a first application (an email application or a webbrowser, for example) is executing at the laptop computer. Themanagement server determines that a second user device (a smartphone,for example) is associated with the same user and further determinesthat a second application is installed on the smartphone. The managementserver can determine that the smartphone is in an inactive state or thatthe second application is currently not executing on the smartphone. Themanagement server sends an instruction to the smartphone to turn off atleast one functionality so as to reduce power consumption.

FIG. 1 is an illustration of an example system 100 configured to carryout exemplary methods disclosed herein. The system 100 can at leastinclude a management server 110, a first user device 125, and a seconduser device 130 that are communicatively coupled to each other through anetwork 120. The system 100 can also include various other elements suchas an email server 115 and an Internet web server 140. Though shown assingle blocks or entities, the elements and components shown in FIG. 1can be implemented using multiple elements and configurations. Forexample, each of the management server 110, the email server 115, andthe Internet web server 140 can be implemented in the form of a networkof multiple computers or servers that are communicatively coupled toeach other. In some examples, one or more of the management server 110,email server 115, or Internet web server 140 can be a part of the sameserver architecture.

In one example implementation, the management server 110 includes aprocessor 111 and a memory 112. The processor 111 can access the memory112 to execute non-transitory instructions stored in the memory 112 forimplementing various software programs such as used for implementing thepower management controller 113. The term “memory” is understood toinclude a local or remote storage location in this context. Theprocessor 111 can also access the memory 112 to obtain various types ofinformation such as those stored in a registry 114. Operationsassociated with the registry 114 and the power management controller 113will be described below in more detail. The memory 112 can beimplemented in various ways such as in the form of one or more memorydevices mounted upon a printed circuit board located in the managementserver 110 or in the form of a distributed architecture that can includecloud storage components.

Each of the first user device 125 and the second user device 130 can beone of various computational device used by a user 135. For example, thefirst user device 125 can be a laptop computer that is issued by acorporation to the user 135 when the user 135 is an employee of thecorporation. The second user device 130 can be, for example, asmartphone that is issued by the corporation to the user 135 when theuser 135 is an employee of the corporation. In some cases, thesmartphone or laptop can be independently owned by the user 135. Whenindependently owned by the user 135, the smartphone can be used forpersonal matters such as accessing personal email or surfing the web,and can also be used for performing work-related activities such asaccessing work-related emails. The first and second user devices 125,130 can be enrolled at the management server 110 and managed by themanagement server 110. That is, the management server 110 can retainauthority to cause the devices 125, 130 to perform certain actions incertain situations, as determined by the management server 110 or anadministrator accessing the management server 110.

The first user device 125 can include a memory 127 having stored thereona power management client 128. The power management client 128 can be astandalone application or part of another application such as amanagement agent or a portal application. The power management client128 can include privileges that allow it to communicate with themanagement server 110. The power management client 128 can be a softwareapplication that is downloadable by the user 135 from the managementserver 110 or obtainable from other approved sources. The powermanagement client 128 can include a user interface that can be used bythe user 135 for carrying out certain operations such as transmittingmessages to the management server 110 (or an administrator of themanagement server 110) and for obtaining a response from the managementserver 110.

In some examples, the power management client 128 is invisible to theuser and executes in the background of another application. For example,a portal application can include the power management client 128 andprovide a user interface that includes various icons corresponding toavailable applications. The portal application can launch an applicationbased on the user's selection of an icon. It can also store credentialsfor the user and offer it to the various applications on behalf of theuser, preventing the need to login separately to each application. Theportal application can therefore detect when certain applications arebeing used and can communicate that information to the management serverusing the power management client 133 portion of the application.

The power management client 128 can be provided in the form ofnon-transitory, computer-readable instructions executable by a processor126 in the first user device 125. The memory 127 can also containmanagement-related data 129 that the first user device 125 can send tothe management server 110. The management-related data 129 can includedata pertaining to an enrollment request if the first user device 125 isnot yet enrolled with the management server 110. The management-relateddata 129 can also include device information regarding the first userdevice 125, such as a device identifier, a serial number, a device type,an operating system type and version, a list of installed applications,a geographic location, and any other information pertaining to the firstuser device 125. The management-related data 129 can further includeinformation pertaining to the user 135, such as an email address, homeaddress, employer, organizational group, phone number, social securitynumber, and taxpayer ID. In some examples, the management related data129 is collected by an application, such as a portal application, andtransmitted to the management server 110 from the portal application.

The memory 127 can also contain various applications and programs suchas an email application (for example, Microsoft Outlook® or Gmail®), aword processor (Microsoft Word® for example), and a web browser (forexample, Mozilla Firefox® or Google Chrome®). Some or all of theseprograms and applications can be tailored for use on a smartphone whenthe first user device 125 is a smartphone. These tailored versions,which can be more compact and have a form factor suited for display on adisplay screen of a smartphone, can be different from the emailapplication versions that are executed in a laptop computer or desktopcomputer. Information pertaining to these applications and programs canbe a part of the management-related data 129 for conveying to themanagement server 110 as a part of a power management scheme.

The second user device 130 can include a memory 132 having storedthereon, a power management client 133. The power management client 133can be similar to the power management client 128 in the first userdevice 125 and can be provided in the form of non-transitoryinstructions executable by a processor 131 in the second user device130. The memory 132 can also contain management-related data 134 thatthe second user device 130 can send to the management server 110. Themanagement-related data 134 can include data pertaining to an enrollmentrequest if the second user device 130 is not yet enrolled with themanagement server 110. The management-related data 134 can also includeinformation regarding the second user device 130, such as a deviceidentifier, a serial number, a device type, an operating system type andversion, a list of installed applications, a geographic location, andany other information pertaining to the second user device 130. Themanagement-related data 134 can also include information pertaining tothe user 135, such as an email address, home address, employer,organizational group, phone number, social security number, and taxpayerID. In some examples, the management related data 134 is collected by anapplication, such as a portal application, and transmitted to themanagement server 110 from the portal application.

The memory 132 can also contain various applications and programs suchas an email application (for example, Microsoft Outlook® or Gmail®), aword processor (Microsoft Word® for example), and a web browser (forexample, Mozilla Firefox® or Google Chrome®). Information pertaining tothese applications and programs can be a part of the management-relateddata 134 conveyed to the management server 110.

Each of the email server 115 and the Internet web server 140 can be asingle computer or a network of computers for offering email servicesand web services to the first user device 125 and the second user device130.

FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram of an example method for reducing powerconsumption among multiple devices such as the first user device 125 andthe second user device 130. Step 205, which can be a one-time operationthat is not necessarily repeated each and every time the first userdevice 125 is powered up, pertains to an enrollment procedure forenrolling the first user device 125 with the management server 110. Theenrollment procedure can include various back-and-forth communicationsbetween the management server 110 and the first user device 125 such asan enrollment request sent by the first user device 125 to themanagement server 110. In one example, some or all of themanagement-related data 129 is transferred to the management server 110along with the enrollment request and stored in the registry 114. Inanother example, the registry 114 can be omitted in the memory 112 andsome or all of the management-related data 129 is transferred to themanagement server 110 on as needed-basis. In this example, themanagement server 110 can seek specific information such as user ID,user credentials, and device particulars, from the first user device 125at the time of enrollment or at other times when needed.

In step 210, the user 135 executes a login procedure upon the first userdevice 125. The login procedure can include unlocking the device 125,such as by providing credentials or biometric identification, or it caninclude simply powering on the device 125, in some examples. In step215, the user 135 activates an application such as an email service or aword processor program in the first user device 125. This can be done byselecting the icon of the application from the home screen of the device125 or from a user interface provided by a portal application, forexample. In step 220, an indication is sent from the first user device125 to the management server 110 that the first user device 125 is in anactive state. The active state can be determined in various ways such asby detecting the login procedure carried out in step 210, or by otheractions performed by the user 135 upon the first user device 125. Forexample, the active state can be determined based on the display of thefirst user device 125 being turned on, based on the last time the userprovided touch input to the first user device 125, the processor usageof the first user device 125, whether the device 125 is being held,moved, or picked up, and so on. Step 220 can further indicate that theuser 135 is executing the application that has been activated at thefirst user device 125.

In step 225, the management server 110 verifies that the second userdevice 130 is associated with the user 135. In one example, theverification can be carried out by using the management-related data 129that was provided by the first user device 125 to the management server110 during the enrollment procedure carried out in step 205. In anotherexample, the verification can be carried out by using themanagement-related data 134 provided by the second user device 130 tothe management server 110 when the second user device 125 enrolled withthe management server 110. The enrollment procedure (not shown) for thesecond user device 130 can be similar to the one described above withreference to the first user device 125 in step 205. In this case, someor all of the management-related data 134 stored in the second userdevice 130 can be provided to the management server 110 in lieu of, orin addition to, the management-related data 129 stored in the first userdevice 125. In some examples, the management server 110 can determinethat the two devices 125, 130 are enrolled to the same user 135 prior tothe steps shown in FIG. 2 and at any point after enrollment of the twodevices 125, 130. In some examples, the management server 110 can makethe determination without enrollment of one or more of the devices 125,130, such as when the user 135 installs a managed application that cancommunicate with the management server 110 independently.

In step 230, the management server 110 transmits a query to the seconduser device 130. The query can be initiated by the power managementcontroller 113 for determining if a second application is installed andactive in the second user device 130. The second application can be anemail service or a word processor program, for example. Alternatively,the management server 110 can verify whether the second application isinstalled and active in the second user device 130 by referring to theregistry 114 that contains management-related data 134 (or by accessingthe management-related data 134 stored in the second user device 130).

In step 235, the second user device 130 informs the management server110 that the second application is installed in the second user device130 and that the second application is currently in an inactive state.For example, the user 135 may have set aside a smartphone (second userdevice 130) and the second application (an email application forexample) is currently either unopened or is in an inactive state.

In step 240, the management server 110 sends an instruction to thesecond user device 130 to turn off one or more functionalities. Forexample, the management server 110 can send an instruction to the seconduser device 130 to execute one or more of various actions such asshutting down the email application, stopping email sync operations,stopping email fetch operations, shutting down a browser, placing thesmartphone in a sleep mode of operation or a lower-power mode ofoperation, adjusting display brightness, turning off location services,or turning off the smartphone. In step 245, the second user device 130executes the instruction provided by the management server 110. Thisaction can be carried out by the power management client 133 in thesecond user device 130.

In step 250, the first application that was activated by the user 135 inthe first user device 125 turns inactive or is shut down. For example,the user 135 shuts down the email application in the laptop computer atthe end of the workday before heading home. This can include closing theapplication or shutting down the computer itself, for example. Inanother example, the first application can be considered inactive whenit has not been used within a threshold period of time, such as onehour. This action is conveyed to the management server 110 in step 255.

In step 260, the management server 110 instructs the second user device130 (the smartphone in this example) to turn on the one or morefunctionalities that were turned off in step 245. For example, the emailapplication in the second user device 130 is turned back on and resumesemail operations such as email fetches from the email server 115. Theresumption of email activities is indicated in step 265.

At least some of the steps described above can be carried out byinteractions between the power management controller 113 in themanagement server 110, the power management client 128 in the first userdevice 125, and the power management client 133 in the second userdevice 130, without intervention from the user 135. For example, step245 in which the second user device 130 executes the instructionprovided by the management server 110 can be carried out by the powermanagement client 133 without intervention by the user 135. As such, theuser 135 may be unaware that battery power is being automaticallyconserved in the smartphone.

However, in an example implementation, the user 135 can opt out ofparticipating in the power conservation scheme over some periods of timeor can opt to participate in the power conservation scheme in anoptional manner. For example, the user 135 may desire to have the emailapplication in the smartphone (second user device 130) execute emailfetch operations even when the smartphone is not in use. If so, the user135 can configure the power management client 133 in the smartphone todisregard the instruction provided by the management server 110 in step240.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an example method for reducing powerconsumption among multiple devices such as the first user device 125 andthe second user device 130. At stage 305, the management server 110receives an indication that the first user device 125 is in an activestate and that a first application is active at the first user device125. For example, the management server 110 may determine that the firstuser device 125 is in an active state based on a login request receivedfrom the first user device 125. As another example, the managementserver 110 may determine that the first user device 125 is in an activestate based on one or more messages communicated between the first userdevice 125 to the management server 110. The messages can include forexample, an interrogation message sent by the management server 110 tothe first user device 125 and a response provided by the first userdevice 125 to the management server 110. The response can includeportions of the management-related data 129 pertaining to managementpolicies, compliance policy, and licenses. In yet another example, themanagement server 110 may determine that the first user device 125 is inan active state based on heartbeat signals transmitted by the first userdevice 125 to the management server 110.

The heartbeat signals can provide various types of information about thefirst user device 125, such as a first application that is in use at thefirst user device 125, a time when a second application was last used,an identification code of the first user device 125, a current locationof the first user device 125, and whether the current location isoutside a geofenced area. With respect to the last time an applicationwas used, the heartbeat signal can include data related to variousapplications on the user device 125. In some examples, a portalapplication can send the information as part of a heartbeat signal or aninterrogator sample. The data can include a time of last use for anyapplication for which the portal application provides access. Forinstance, in an example where the portal application provides access toan email application and a document repository application, the portalapplication can provide data to the management server 110 indicating atime of last use for each of the email application and documentrepository application. When an application is currently being used atthe time the portal application sends the data, the time of last use canindicate that the application is currently being used.

The information provided in the heartbeat signal or interrogatorresponse can be sent automatically, such as at predetermined timeintervals such as every 5 minutes, 15 minutes, or each hour. In someexamples, the management server 110 can request a data load on demand bycalling an API at the user device 125 or an application executing on theuser device 125, such as a portal application. That information can beautomatically stored in a database accessible to the management server110. The management server 110 can then make an API call to thatdatabase to retrieve the information as needed.

At stage 310, the management server 110 determines that the second userdevice 130 is associated with the user 135. This operation can becarried out by the processor 111 at the management server 110 byaccessing the memory 112, specifically the registry 114 that containsmanagement-related data 134, or by communicating with the second userdevice 130 for obtaining relevant information from themanagement-related data 134 stored in the second user device 130.

At stage 315, the management server 110 determines that a secondapplication is associated with the user 135. This operation can becarried out by the processor 111 in a manner that is similar to thatdescribed above with reference to stage 310. In one example, the secondapplication is different than the first application that is beingexecuted on the first user device 125. For example, the secondapplication that is being executed in the second user device 130 can bea word processing application whereas the first application that isbeing executed on the first user device 125 is an email service. Inanother example, the second application is identical to, orsubstantially similar to the first application that is being executed onthe first user device 125. For example, the second application can be aword processing application executing on a desktop computer (second userdevice 130) and the first application that is being executed on a laptopcomputer (the first user device 125) is also a word processingapplication that is identical to, or substantially similar to, the wordprocessing application executing on the desktop computer.

At stage 320, the management server 110 determines that the second userdevice 130 is in an inactive state or that the second application is notexecuting on the second user device 130. This determination can becarried out in various ways. For example, the management server 110 candetermine that the second user device 130 is inactive after failing toreceive a heartbeat signal from the second user device 130 beyond apreset threshold period of time.

At stage 325, the management server 110 sends an instruction to thesecond user device 130 to turn off one or more functionalities. Forexample, the management server 110 can send an instruction to the seconduser device 130 to execute one or more of various actions such asshutting down the email application, stopping email synch operations,stopping email fetch operations, shutting down a browser, placing thesmartphone in a sleep mode of operation, adjusting display brightness,or turning off the smartphone. In some examples, shutting down the emailapplication or a browser can be performed based on the email applicationor browser being a managed application that is managed by the managementserver 110. In those examples, the management server 110 can utilize APIcalls to the user device 130 that are carried out based on theadministrative privileges of the management server 110. In someexamples, such as where the second user device 130 is a laptop computerrunning Windows®, an agent running on the laptop can have administrativeprivileges that include powering down the device 130 or adjusting screenbrightness. The management server 110 can provide an instruction to theagent to perform those actions.

The management server 110 can also send an instruction to the seconduser device 130 to turn off the second application and one or more otherapplications. The actions carried out by the second user device 130 inresponse to the instructions received from the management server 110result in conserving power in the second user device 130. When thesecond user device 130 is a battery-operated device such as asmartphone, the power conservation equates to lower battery drain and anextension of battery usage time.

With respect to stopping email synchronization, the management server110 can instruct an email client on the user device 125, 130 to turn offan email synchronization function. This instruction can be performedthrough an API call in some examples. The instruction can cause theemail client to cease performing the email synchronization procedureuntil instructed otherwise or until a predetermined time period elapses.For example, the management server 110 can instruct the email client tostop email synchronization for one hour. If the user 135 starts usingthe device 125, 130 or email client before that hour has elapsed, themanagement server 110 can instruct the email client to resume emailsynchronization. In some examples, the instruction from the managementserver 110 includes a conditional instruction to automatically resumeemail synchronization whenever the user device 125, 130 and/or emailclient becomes active again. When the email client is not synchronizing,it will not ping the email server. Even if the device 125, 130 receivesa push notification update, the email client would not synchronizeunless instructed to do so by the management server 110 or based on theuser attempting to use the device 125, 130 or the email client. In thecase of a managed laptop computer, the agent executing on the computercan use scripts that disable or terminate certain applications, causingthe computer to stop email synchronization (or other relevant operationsas described previously).

Stage 310 through stage 325 described above can be repeated foradditional user devices associated with the user 135. For example, atstage 310, the management server 110 can determine that a third userdevice is associated with the user 135 and the subsequent stages can beexecuted in order to reduce power consumption in the third user device.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of an example graphical user interface (“GUI”)400 displayed on a user device such as the first user device 125 or thesecond user device 130. The GUI 400, which can be provided upon adisplay screen of the user device, can be operated upon by the user 135to carry out various actions such as enrolling the first user device 125with the management server. In one example, a message 405 is provided inthe form of a first question such as: “Would you like to enroll thisuser device in a power consumption reduction scheme?” If the user 135provides a “yes” response, the management server 110 can communicatewith the first user device 125 to automatically obtain information fromthe management-related data 129 stored in the memory 127 of the firstuser device 125. The management server 110 can store the information inthe registry 114 and configure the power management controller 113 tointeract with the first user device 125 for executing the powerconsumption reduction scheme. After enrollment, an acknowledgementmessage 410 can be displayed on the GUI 400 to inform the user 135 thatthe enrollment has been completed successfully.

Another message 415 such as: “Do you have any additional device toenroll in the power consumption reduction scheme?” can then be displayedon the GUI 400. If the user 135 wishes to enroll the second user device130, the management server 110 can communicate with the second userdevice 130 to automatically obtain information from themanagement-related data 134 stored in the memory 132 of the second userdevice 130. The management server 110 can store the information in theregistry 114 and configure the power management controller 113 tointeract with the second user device 130 for executing the powerconsumption reduction scheme. After enrollment, an acknowledgementmessage 420 can be displayed on the GUI 400 to inform the user 135 thatthe enrollment has been completed successfully. The procedure can thenbe repeated for any additional user devices associated with the user135.

The message 405, message 410, and other such messages can be displayedupon the GUI 400 in various formats. For example, the messages can bedisplayed sequentially in the form of text messages or can be displayedconcurrently on a web page. The format can be adapted in accordance withthe nature of the various user devices. Graphical elements, such asbuttons, can be provided for the user to provide input in response tothe messages shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 is an illustration of an example GUI 500 displayed on a userdevice such as the first user device 125 or the second user device 130.The GUI 500, which can be provided upon a display screen of the userdevice in various formats such as in the form of a web page of a browseror as interactive text, can be used by the user 135 to carry out variousactions such as informing the management server 110 to desist frominstructing a user device to enter a power down mode.

In one example, a message 505 can be provided upon a laptop computer(first user device 125) in the form of a first question such as: “Areyou currently using the email service on your smartphone?” If the user135 responds to the message 505 by indicating that the smartphone is notbeing used currently for emails, the management server 110 can proceedwith instructing the smartphone to carry out various power reductionactions such as shutting down the email application. After the emailservice has been shut down, a message 510 such as “Email service on yoursmartphone has been temporarily disabled to conserve battery power andwill be enabled automatically when you resume email use or when thesmartphone is connected to a charging source” can be displayed on thelaptop computer. The management server 110 can monitor the smartphone todetect activity on the smartphone such as resumption of a heartbeat andautomatically resume email service on the smartphone.

Other examples of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled inthe art from consideration of the specification and practice of theexamples disclosed herein. Though some of the described methods havebeen presented as a series of steps, it should be appreciated that oneor more steps can occur simultaneously, in an overlapping fashion, or ina different order. The order of steps presented are only illustrative ofthe possibilities and those steps can be executed or performed in anysuitable fashion. Moreover, the various features of the examplesdescribed here are not mutually exclusive. Rather, any feature of anyexample described here can be incorporated into any other suitableexample. It is intended that the specification and examples beconsidered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of thedisclosure being indicated by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for reducing power consumption amongfirst and second user devices of a user, comprising: receiving, at amanagement server from the first user device, an indication that thefirst user device is in an active state and that a first application isexecuting at the first user device; determining, by the managementserver, that a second user device is associated with the user;determining, by the management server, that a second application isinstalled on the second user device; determining, by the managementserver, that the second user device is in an inactive state or that thesecond application is not executing on the second user device; andsending an instruction to the second user device to turn off at leastone functionality associated with the second user device or the secondapplication.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determiningthat the second user device has returned to an active state; and turningon the at least one functionality.
 3. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: receiving an indication that the user has logged out of thefirst user device; and sending an instruction to the first user deviceto turn off at least one functionality associated with the first userdevice or the first application.
 4. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising receiving an indication that the user has logged out of thefirst user device; and sending an instruction to the second user deviceto turn on the at least one functionality.
 5. The method of claim 1,further comprising: receiving an indication that the user has terminatedexecution of the first application; and sending an instruction to thesecond user device to turn on the at least one functionality.
 6. Themethod of claim 1, wherein turning off at least one functionalityincludes at least one of: delaying email synchronization, disablingemail synchronization, initiating a power-saving mode for the seconduser device, closing the second application, adjusting displaybrightness, locking the second user device, or powering down the seconduser device.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that thesecond user device is in an inactive state further comprises detecting,by the management server, at least one of: that the second user deviceis locked, that the second user device has not been used within athreshold period of time, that the second user device is powered off,that the second user device has failed to transmit a heartbeat signalwithin a threshold period of time, or that the second user device hasleft a geofenced area.
 8. A non-transitory, computer-readable mediumcomprising instructions that, when executed by a processor of amanagement server, cause the management server to perform stages forreducing power consumption among first and second user devices of auser, the stages comprising: receiving, at a management server from thefirst user device, an indication that the first user device is in anactive state and that a first application is executing at the first userdevice; determining, by the management server, that a second user deviceis associated with the user; determining, by the management server, thata second application is installed on the second user device;determining, by the management server, that the second user device is inan inactive state or that the second application is not executing on thesecond user device; and sending an instruction to the second user deviceto turn off at least one functionality associated with the second userdevice or the second application.
 9. The non-transitory,computer-readable medium of claim 8, the stages further comprising:determining that the second user device has returned to an active state;and turning on the at least one functionality.
 10. The non-transitory,computer-readable medium of claim 8, the stages further comprising:receiving an indication that the user has logged out of the first userdevice; and sending an instruction to the first user device to turn offat least one functionality associated with the first user device or thefirst application.
 11. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium ofclaim 8, the stages further comprising: receiving an indication that theuser has logged out of the first user device; and sending an instructionto the second user device to turn on the at least one functionality. 12.The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8, the stagesfurther comprising: receiving an indication that the user has terminatedexecution of the first application; and sending an instruction to thesecond user device to turn on the at least one functionality.
 13. Thenon-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein turning offat least one functionality includes at least one of: delaying emailsynchronization, disabling email synchronization, initiating apower-saving mode for the second user device, closing the secondapplication, adjusting display brightness, locking the second userdevice, or powering down the second user device.
 14. The non-transitory,computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein determining that the seconduser device is in an inactive state further comprises detecting, by themanagement server, at least one of: that the second user device islocked, that the second user device has not been used within a thresholdperiod of time, that the second user device is powered off, that thesecond user device has failed to transmit a heartbeat signal within athreshold period of time, or that the second user device has left ageofenced area.
 15. A system for reducing power consumption among firstand second user devices of a user, comprising: a memory storageincluding a non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprisinginstructions; and a processor that executes the instructions to carryout stages comprising: receiving, at a management server from the firstuser device, an indication that the first user device is in an activestate and that a first application is executing at the first userdevice; determining, by the management server, that a second user deviceis associated with the user; determining, by the management server, thata second application is installed on the second user device;determining, by the management server, that the second user device is inan inactive state or that the second application is not executing on thesecond user device; and sending an instruction to the second user deviceto turn off at least one functionality associated with the second userdevice or the second application. providing the event to the user devicefor display to the user.
 16. The system of claim 15, the stages furthercomprising: determining that the second user device has returned to anactive state; and turning on the at least one functionality.
 17. Thesystem of claim 15, the stages further comprising: receiving anindication that the user has logged out of the first user device; andsending an instruction to the first user device to turn off at least onefunctionality associated with the first user device or the firstapplication.
 18. The system of claim 15, the stages further comprising:receiving an indication that the user has logged out of the first userdevice; and sending an instruction to the second user device to turn onthe at least one functionality.
 19. The system of claim 15, the stagesfurther comprising: receiving an indication that the user has terminatedexecution of the first application; and sending an instruction to thesecond user device to turn on the at least one functionality.
 20. Thesystem of claim 15, wherein turning off at least one functionalityincludes at least one of: delaying email synchronization, disablingemail synchronization, initiating a power-saving mode for the seconduser device, closing the second application, adjusting displaybrightness, locking the second user device, or powering down the seconduser device.